As Passed by the Senate 1 122nd General Assembly 4 Regular Session Sub. S. B. No. 55 5 1997-1998 6 SENATORS WATTS-OELSLAGER-B. JOHNSON 8 10 A B I L L To enact section 3313.603 of the Revised Code to 12 codify the minimum requirements for graduation 13 from high school; to increase the total number of 14 units of credit necessary for graduation from 15 eighteen to twenty; to increase the required 16 units of English language arts from three to four; to increase the required units of each of 17 the areas of mathematics and social studies from 18 two to three; to increase the required units of 19 science incrementally from one to three; to reduce the elective units incrementally from nine 20 to six; and to require the Ohio Board of Regents 21 to recommend a plan to increase the number of math and science teachers. 22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO: 24 Section 1. That section 3313.603 of the Revised Code be 26 enacted to read as follows: 27 Sec. 3313.603. (A) AS USED IN THIS SECTION: 29 (1) "ONE UNIT" MEANS A MINIMUM OF ONE HUNDRED TWENTY HOURS 32 OF COURSE INSTRUCTION, EXCEPT THAT FOR A LABORATORY COURSE, "ONE 34 UNIT" MEANS A MINIMUM OF ONE HUNDRED FIFTY HOURS OF COURSE 35 INSTRUCTION. (2) "ONE-HALF UNIT" MEANS A MINIMUM OF SIXTY HOURS OF 38 COURSE INSTRUCTION, EXCEPT THAT FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION COURSES, 39 "ONE-HALF UNIT" MEANS A MINIMUM OF ONE HUNDRED TWENTY HOURS OF 40 COURSE INSTRUCTION. 2 (B) BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 15, 2001, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR 42 GRADUATION FROM EVERY HIGH SCHOOL SHALL INCLUDE TWENTY UNITS 44 EARNED IN GRADES NINE THROUGH TWELVE AND SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED AS 45 FOLLOWS: (1) ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, FOUR UNITS; 47 (2) HEALTH, ONE-HALF UNIT; 49 (3) MATHEMATICS, THREE UNITS; 51 (4) PHYSICAL EDUCATION, ONE-HALF UNIT; 53 (5) SCIENCE, TWO UNITS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2003, AND THREE 55 UNITS THEREAFTER, WHICH AT ALL TIMES SHALL INCLUDE BOTH OF THE 56 FOLLOWING: 57 (a) BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, ONE UNIT; 60 (b) PHYSICAL SCIENCES, ONE UNIT. 63 (6) SOCIAL STUDIES, THREE UNITS, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE BOTH 65 OF THE FOLLOWING: 66 (a) AMERICAN HISTORY, ONE-HALF UNIT; 69 (b) AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, ONE-HALF UNIT. 72 (7) ELECTIVE UNITS, SEVEN UNITS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15, 2003, 74 AND SIX UNITS THEREAFTER. 75 (C) EVERY HIGH SCHOOL MAY PERMIT STUDENTS BELOW THE NINTH 78 GRADE TO TAKE ADVANCED WORK FOR CREDIT. A HIGH SCHOOL SHALL 79 COUNT SUCH ADVANCED WORK TOWARD THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS OF 80 DIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION IF THE ADVANCED WORK WAS BOTH: 81 (1) TAUGHT BY A PERSON WHO POSSESSES A LICENSE OR 83 CERTIFICATE ISSUED UNDER SECTION 3319.22 OR 3319.222 OF THE 85 REVISED CODE THAT IS VALID FOR TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL; 86 (2) DESIGNATED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY, 88 LOCAL, OR EXEMPTED VILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR THE BOARD OF THE 89 COOPERATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL DISTRICT AS MEETING THE HIGH SCHOOL 90 CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS. (D) UNITS EARNED IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, MATHEMATICS, 93 SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES THAT ARE DELIVERED THROUGH INTEGRATED 94 ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION ARE ELIGIBLE TO MEET THE 95 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS OF DIVISION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 96 3 (E) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DOES NOT INTEND TO REQUIRE THAT 99 SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCREASE THEIR TOTAL NUMBER OF TEACHING 100 POSITIONS TO COMPLY WITH THIS SECTION. NOTWITHSTANDING SECTIONS 101 3319.16 AND 3319.17 OF THE REVISED CODE, A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY 102 ELIMINATE TEACHING POSITIONS WITHIN ELECTIVE SUBJECT AREAS WHEN 103 IT HIRES ADDITIONAL TEACHERS WITHIN THE CORE SUBJECT AREAS OF 104 DIVISIONS (B)(1) TO (6) OF THIS SECTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS 105 SECTION. Section 2. The Ohio Board of Regents, in consultation with 107 the Superintendent of Public Instruction, shall prepare a plan 108 recommending strategies for increasing the number of mathematics 109 and science teachers in this state. The Board shall submit its 110 plan no later than December 31, 1997, to the Governor, the 111 President and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker and 112 Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the 113 chairpersons of the Senate and House Education Committees. 114